The only 80's R&B album you need. Okay, ONE of the only ones.
Written: Feb 10 '01 (Updated Feb 10 '01)
Product Rating:
Pros: One of the most danceable albums ever made.
Cons: None! Why do you think it sold so many copies?
The Bottom Line: Thriller is definitely a must-have for your music collection. Its influential sounds, danceable rhythms and memorable songs make an album you'll want to listen to again and again.
evansec's Full Review: Thriller [Remaster] by Michael Jackson
No matter how you feel about Michael Jackson as a human being, you can't deny his power, influence and ability as a musical artist.
Thriller is one of the biggest-selling albums of all time, producing hit after hit that kept everyone talking for years. It was the first album to produce six - count 'em - six number one singles from an artist, and included a single that sprung the first video on MTV from an African-American artist.
If that isn't power, I don't know what is.
Back to the album. This is one of those I remember listening to for hours on end when I was six years old, constantly engaged in its funk, soul, R&B and rock elements. It still moves me just as much, if not more, today.
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Track 1):I said you wanna be startin' somethin'. Ya got to be startin' somethin'! Even while listening to this track and writing about it, I've got a groove in my boogie shoes. This energy-filled, fun song starts off the album with a bang. It's like a big party, reminiscent of the feel-good (and sometimes tacky) energy of the early 80's. And it's a big hit at retro dances.
The Girl is Mine (Track 3):Every night she walks right in my dreams. Since I met her from the start, I'm so proud I am the only one who is special in her heart. The girl is mine. The doggone girl is mine. This is a ballad-style duel between musical greats Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. It is without McCartney's lyrical genius, but, hey! It was the 80's. It's a great, sweet love song. McCartney's and Jackson's vocals beautifully compliment one another, harmonizing at points. I will say the spoken-word part ("I'm a lover, not a fighter") is cheesy, but you can't listen to this one without a big, cheesy grin on your face.
Thriller (Track 4):Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together. All through the night, I'll save you from the terror and the scream. I'll make you see that this is Thriller! This is the song my brother insisted on playing in our attic one summer when it was infested with squirrels. He figured the creepy Vincent Price monologue would scare them away. (Heck, it worked on me!) Anyway, this is a Michael Jackson classic. And, if you have never liked this song, you are a rarety in this world. It is like a cross between a cheesy horror flick and a snappy dance tune. I can't get enough of it. (Also, remember this video was among the first to make music videos an art, rather than an excuse to display the artist.)
Beat It (Track 5):You better run; you better do what you can. Don't wanna see no blood; don't be a macho man. You wanna be tough. Better do what you can, so BEAT IT! But you wanna be bad? Just BEAT IT! Now, this is the song my dad asked my brother to play in the attic to remove the squirrels. He figured the squirrels would, well, "Beat It." Did they? Yes, but I think "Thriller" helped as well. This has some great guitar riffs, courtesy of rocker Eddie Van Halen. It was a bada$s rocker tune and a dance hit all in one. It's hard to believe Mr. Jackson was only my age (early 20's) when he wrote this tune. It's simply a song that defines the 80's, when an artist could fight against gangs by dancing his way into a West Side Story parody.
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)(Track 8)Don't you know now is the perfect time? We can make it right..hit the city lights. Then tonight, ease the lovin' pain. Let me take you to the max! I wanna love you (P.Y.T.) Pretty young thing! Yet another happy song. Its slow, sweet, funky R&B intro is hinted in many popular ballads today. It jumps into a lighthearted, funky tune with those famous, futuristic electronic sounds added in. I'm seeing a lot of George Clinton and Marvin Gaye influences in this one. (And, although it was completely trashed at the time, lots of disco in this one.) Nobody can pull it off so well like Michael Jackson.
Lady In My LifeJust put your trust in your heart, and we'll be in paradise. (Now is the time.) You're every wonder in this world to me, a treasure time once sailed away. When I pulled out this album and listened to the beginning of this track, I thought, Hey...that's sampled in L.L. Cool J's "Hey Lover! (Just a side note.) Although this one is a cheesy ballad, its style has been seen time and time again in songs from the likes of Babyface, Toni Braxton and Michael's sister Janet. It's an extremely sexy, romantic tune and Michael puts a lot of soul into this one. Not one of my favorites from the album, but good in its own way.
Say what you want about Michael Jackson. Still, without this man we probably wouldn't have much of the R&B we have today. He definitely deserves credit for bringing the world a style of music that moved the masses. This CD is an absolute must for your collection.
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